How to Deer Hunt With Dogs
When many people think about using dogs for hunting, they envision Labradors retrieving downed ducks, blueticks treeing raccoons or German shorthairs flushing pheasants. But in some places, hunters pursue deer with dogs. Like in other hunting situations, the dogs are used to make the deer start running, and the hope is that the deer will run by hunters who are posted and waiting for deer to come by. Dogs are especially helpful in dense cover and other places where it is hard for hunters themselves to find deer, and people who know how to deer hunt with dogs can see a lot of deer in a day of hunting, though it is likely they will not have have shots at most of the deer.
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Instructions
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Select an area to hunt. Dogs are particularly helpful in places in which deer can escape hunting pressure by going into thick cover. These areas are difficult for hunters to access, but dogs have no problem chasing deer out of them.
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Once the area is selected, all hunters except the one handling the dogs should be posted at areas where deer are likely to run by, or in areas of high visibility. These could include clear-cut areas in the woods, old logging roads, or along ridges and ravines. Hunters should carry an appropriate firearm for deer hunting; rifles or shotguns are best.
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Set the dogs loose once everyone is in place. The dogs' handler should do his best to maintain visual contact with the dogs, but once the dogs are free they are likely to follow the scents they smell. As a result, hunters often will hear, rather than see, the dogs chasing the deer.
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Be ready to shoot after a chase begins. The deer likely will run in unpredictable patterns, but may run in front of a posted hunter.
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If a chase moves beyond the area in which hunters are posted, try calling the dogs off since healthy deer can outrun most dogs. In many cases, deer will get away and if the dogs do not return, the hunting party should try to find them.
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If dogs chase the deer out of an area and none of the deer are killed, try a new area since a group of dogs likely will cause any deer in the area to get up and run.
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Tips & Warnings
Consider using a rifle if it is legal in the area you hunt. This reduces the risk of a shot that injures, but does not kill, a deer, and allows hunters to take longer shots.
Make sure to have a deer license. Ensure it is legal to deer hunt with dogs in the area you are hunting. The practice is illegal in many areas. Always know what you are shooting at, and what is behind your target. If you miss, you must be sure the bullet will not do any harm.
